---
name: ctf-malware
description: Malware and network analysis techniques for CTF challenges. Use when analyzing obfuscated scripts, malicious packages, custom protocols, or C2 traffic.
user-invocable: false
allowed-tools: ["Bash", "Read", "Write", "Edit", "Glob", "Grep", "Task", "WebFetch", "WebSearch"]
---

# CTF Malware & Network Analysis

## Obfuscated Scripts

- Replace `eval`/`bash` with `echo` to print underlying code
- Extract base64/hex blobs and analyze with `file`
- Common deobfuscation chain: base64 decode → gzip decode → reverse → base64 decode

## Debian Package Analysis

```bash
ar -x package.deb           # Unpack debian package
tar -xf control.tar.xz      # Check control files
# Look for postinst scripts that execute payloads
```

## Custom Crypto Protocols

- Stream ciphers may share keystream state for both directions
- Concatenate ALL payloads chronologically before decryption
- Look for hardcoded keys in `.rodata`
- **ChaCha20 keystream extraction:** Send large nullbytes payload (0 XOR anything = anything)
- Alternative: Pipe ciphertext from pcap directly into the binary

## PCAP Analysis

```bash
tshark -r file.pcap -Y "tcp.stream eq X" -T fields -e tcp.payload
```
Look for C2 communication patterns on unusual ports (e.g., port 21 not for FTP).

## Hex-Encoded Payloads

- Convert hex to bytes, try common transformations: subtract 1, XOR with key

## JavaScript Deobfuscation

```javascript
// Replace eval with console.log
eval = console.log;
// Then run the obfuscated code

// Common patterns
unescape()           // URL decoding
String.fromCharCode() // Char codes
atob()               // Base64
```

## PowerShell Analysis

```powershell
# Common obfuscation
-enc / -EncodedCommand  # Base64 encoded
IEX / Invoke-Expression # Eval equivalent
[System.Text.Encoding]::Unicode.GetString([System.Convert]::FromBase64String($encoded))
```

## PE Analysis

```bash
peframe malware.exe      # Quick triage
pe-sieve                 # Runtime analysis
pestudio                 # Static analysis (Windows)
```

## Sandbox Evasion Checks

Look for:
- VM detection (VMware, VirtualBox artifacts)
- Debugger detection (IsDebuggerPresent)
- Timing checks (sleep acceleration)
- Environment checks (username, computername)
- File/registry checks for analysis tools

## Network Indicators

```bash
# Extract IPs/domains
strings malware | grep -E '[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}'
strings malware | grep -E '[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.(com|net|org|io)'

# DNS queries
tshark -r capture.pcap -Y "dns.qry.name" -T fields -e dns.qry.name | sort -u
```

## C2 Traffic Patterns

- Beaconing: regular intervals
- Domain generation algorithms (DGA)
- Encoded/encrypted payloads
- HTTP(S) with custom headers
- DNS tunneling

## Junk Code Detection

**Pattern:** Obfuscation adds meaningless instructions around real code

**Identification:**
- NOP sleds, push/pop pairs that cancel
- Arithmetic that results in zero/identity
- Dead writes (register written but never read before next write)
- Unconditional jumps to next instruction

**Filtering technique:**
```python
# Identify real calls by looking for patterns
# junk, junk, junk, CALL target, junk, junk
# Extract call targets, ignore surrounding noise

def extract_real_calls(disassembly):
    calls = []
    for instr in disassembly:
        if instr.mnemonic == 'call' and not is_junk_target(instr.operand):
            calls.append(instr)
    return calls
```

## .NET DNS-based C2

**Pattern:** Deobfuscated .NET malware with DNS C2

**Analysis with dnSpy:**
1. Find network functions (TcpClient, DnsClient, etc.)
2. Identify encoding/encryption wrappers
3. Look for command dispatch (switch on opcode)

**AsmResolver for programmatic analysis:**
```csharp
using AsmResolver.DotNet;
var module = ModuleDefinition.FromFile("malware.dll");
foreach (var type in module.GetAllTypes()) {
    foreach (var method in type.Methods) {
        // Analyze method body
    }
}
```

## AES-CBC in Malware

**Common key derivation:**
- MD5/SHA256 of hardcoded string
- Derived from timestamp or PID
- Password-based (PBKDF2)

**Analysis approach:**
```python
from Crypto.Cipher import AES
from Crypto.Util.Padding import unpad
import hashlib

# Common pattern: key = MD5(password)
password = b"hardcoded_password"
key = hashlib.md5(password).digest()

# IV often first 16 bytes of ciphertext
iv = ciphertext[:16]
ct = ciphertext[16:]

cipher = AES.new(key, AES.MODE_CBC, iv)
plaintext = unpad(cipher.decrypt(ct), 16)
```

## Password Rotation in C2

**Pattern:** C2 uses rotating passwords based on time/sequence

**Analysis:**
1. Find password generation function
2. Identify rotation trigger (time-based, message count)
3. Sync your decryptor with the rotation

```python
def get_current_password(timestamp):
    # Password changes every hour
    hour_bucket = timestamp // 3600
    return hashlib.sha256(f"seed_{hour_bucket}".encode()).digest()
```

## Malware Configuration Extraction

**Common storage locations:**
- .data section (hardcoded)
- Resources (PE resources, .NET resources)
- Registry keys written at install
- Encrypted config file dropped to disk

**Extraction tools:**
```bash
# PE resources
wrestool -x -t 10 malware.exe -o config.bin

# .NET resources
monodis --mresources malware.exe

# Strings in .rdata/.data
objdump -s -j .rdata malware.exe
```

## Identifying Encryption Algorithms

**By constants:**
- AES: `0x637c777b`, `0x63636363` (S-box)
- ChaCha20: `expand 32-byte k` or `0x61707865`
- RC4: Sequential S-box initialization
- TEA/XTEA: `0x9E3779B9` (golden ratio)

**By structure:**
- Block cipher: Fixed-size blocks, padding
- Stream cipher: Byte-by-byte, no padding
- Hash: Mixing functions, rounds, constants

## .NET Malware Analysis (C2 Extraction)

**Tools:** ILSpy, dnSpy, dotPeek

**LimeRAT C2 extraction (Whisper Of The Pain):**
1. Open .NET binary in dnSpy
2. Find configuration class with Base64 encoded string
3. Identify decryption method (typically AES-256-ECB with derived key)
4. Key derivation: MD5 of hardcoded string → first 15 + full 16 bytes + null = 32-byte key
5. Decrypt: Base64 decode → AES-ECB decrypt → reveals C2 IP/domain

```python
from Crypto.Cipher import AES
import hashlib, base64

key_source = '${8\',`d0}n,~@J;oZ"9a'
md5 = hashlib.md5(key_source.encode()).hexdigest()
# Key = md5[:30] + md5 + '\x00' (32 bytes total as hex → 16 bytes binary)
key = bytes.fromhex(md5[:30] + md5 + '00')[:32]

cipher = AES.new(key, AES.MODE_ECB)
plaintext = cipher.decrypt(base64.b64decode(encrypted_b64))
```

## Telegram Bot API for Evidence Recovery

**Pattern (Stomaker):** Malware uses Telegram bot to exfiltrate stolen data.

**Recover exfiltrated data via bot token:**
```python
# If you have the bot API token from malware source:
import requests

TOKEN = "bot_token_here"
# Get updates (message history)
r = requests.get(f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TOKEN}/getUpdates")
# Download files sent to bot
file_id = "..."
r = requests.get(f"https://api.telegram.org/bot{TOKEN}/getFile?file_id={file_id}")
file_path = r.json()['result']['file_path']
requests.get(f"https://api.telegram.org/file/bot{TOKEN}/{file_path}")
```

## RC4-Encrypted WebSocket C2 Traffic

**Pattern (Tampered Seal):** Malware uses WSS over non-standard port with RC4 encryption.

**Decryption workflow:**
1. Identify C2 port from malware source (not standard 443)
2. Remap port with `tcprewrite` so Wireshark decodes TLS
3. Add RSA key for TLS decryption → reveals WebSocket frames
4. Find RC4 key hardcoded in malware binary
5. Decrypt each WebSocket payload with RC4 via CyberChef

**Malware communication patterns:**
- Registration message: hostname, OS, username, privileges
- Exfiltration: screenshots, keylog data, file contents
- Commands: reverse shell, file download, process list

## PyInstaller + PyArmor Unpacking

```bash
# Step 1: Extract PyInstaller archive
python pyinstxtractor.py malware.exe
# Look for main .pyc file in extracted directory

# Step 2: If PyArmor-protected, use unpacker
# github.com/Svenskithesource/PyArmor-Unpacker
# Three methods available; choose based on PyArmor version

# Step 3: Clean up deobfuscated source
# Remove fake/dead-code functions (confusion code)
# Identify core encryption/exfiltration logic
```